Pork Belly Trimming Patterns for Uniform Pressing and Yield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The pressing of pork bellies to form uniform bacon slices is challenged by variations in anatomy, leading to issues like blowouts, cracks, splits, and thin areas, which conventional trimming methods fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving scanning, generating a three-dimensional model, simulating pressing, and determining a trimming pattern to achieve specific dimensions while maintaining structural integrity, using a control system to trim pork bellies before pressing into a three-dimensional shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If work products are pressed without trimming to maintain 100% yield, then material utilization is maximized, but pressing uniformity deteriorates and defect rates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The work product is divided into a pressed portion and a non-pressed portion by introducing a non-pressed region around the periphery. This segmentation allows the pressed region to achieve uniform pressing for high-quality output while the non-pressed region absorbs dimensional variations, enabling near 100% material utilization without compromising pressing uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic peripheral regions (flanges, ribs, protrusions) and designates them as non-pressed portions. By taking out these regions from the pressed area, the pressing process can focus on the core work product with uniform pressure application, achieving both high material utilization and pressing uniformity.
2Manufacturing precision
If trimming is performed to improve pressing uniformity, then defect rates decrease, but material loss increases and yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-designing the work product with a non-pressed region before the pressing process. This preliminary structural arrangement eliminates the need for post-pressing trimming operations, as the non-pressed region already accounts for dimensional variations and prevents defects from forming in the first place.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of dimensional variations in peripheral regions into a beneficial feature by designating these regions as non-pressed portions. The previously problematic areas that caused pressing uniformity issues are now intentionally left unpressed, allowing the pressed region to achieve uniformity without material loss from trimming.
3Manufacturing precision
If non-pressed region is introduced to improve pressing uniformity, then pressing quality increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different pressing characteristics in different regions of the work product. The central region receives full pressing treatment for high quality, while the peripheral region is designated as non-pressed to accommodate dimensional variations. This localized differentiation achieves pressing uniformity in the critical area without requiring complex overall structural changes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the likelihood of defects in pressed pork bellies, ensuring uniform slices and maximizing yield by optimizing the trimming process based on individual pork belly variations.
Implementation Method 1
pressing device 130 that presses the work product 102
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
A system (10) for analyzing and trimming irregularly shaped food products which are to be subsequently pressed into a three-dimensional shape (volume) and optionally thereafter sliced or otherwise portioned so as to achieve an optimum harvest, includes a conveyor (12) for carrying the workpieces (WP) to be trimmed past a scanning system (14) for scanning the workpiece (WP) to ascertain the physical characteristics of the workpiece (WP), including, for example, its three-dimensional shape, as well as its position on the conveyor (12), and then past a cutting station (26) for trimming the workpiece (WP) into a desired two-dimensional shape which represents an optimum shape for the workpiece for pressing the workpiece into a desired three-dimensional shape having at least one fixed or specified dimension or other physical specification. Thereafter, the workpiece can be transferred to a slicing station utilizing high speed cutters or sheers for portioning/slicing the workpiece.